1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas generator for use in a restraining apparatus such as an airbag system installed in a vehicle and used as a restraining device, as well as to a method for assembling such a gas generator.
2. Description of the Related Art
An airbag system is known as a restraining apparatus installed in a vehicle. As this type of airbag system, there are known a pyrotechnic gas generator that combusts a solid gas generating agent to supply gas for inflating an airbag, a stored-type gas generator that uses pressurized gas, and a hybrid-type gas generator that uses both the pressurized gas and the solid gas generating agent.
Gas generators are disposed in various places in a vehicle. Of these gas generators, the one used in a passenger-side airbag system or side-impact airbag system has a cylindrical housing.
The pyrotechnic gas generator including a cylindrical housing has an ignition device disposed at one end thereof. The ignition device ignites and combusts a solid gas generating agent charged inside the housing. However, this ignition device needs to be devised to ignite and combust the solid gas generating agent more efficiently because the amount of solid gas generating agent is relatively greater than that of a driver-side gas generator.
JP-A No. 2000-225914 (in FIG. 1) discloses a gas generator Y having an elongated housing, wherein lid members 8 having igniters 5, 6 fixed thereto are attached to both ends of the housing 1. The igniters 5, 6 are each formed of an ignition tool 14 and transfer charge agent 15. The transfer charge agent 15 is stored in a flanged cap 17, which is fixed to each lid member 8. The flanged cap 17 has a through-hole 17b formed on the side where a gas generating agent 4 exists, and a flange portion 17c is held between a filter member 3 and each lid member 8.
The flange portion 17c is formed in the shape of an annular plate, and abuts against a sealing member 18 that is fitted in a groove formed on a combustion chamber-side edge of each lid member 8, so as to seal the inside of the housing 1.